Deafening Silence
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Elena and Mateo travel to Enchancia, where, little by little, there's less sound in the kingdom; to make matters worse, a stranger abducts Mateo and Cedric in the middle of a royal meeting. The princesses have to figure out what's happened to their friends and how to stop the wicked force before the entire kingdom descends into utter silence for good. (Full summary inside! :D)
1. Enchancian Mystics

Deafening Silence

Summary: Elena and Mateo travel to Enchancia to visit for a few days, but something very strange is going on. Little by little, there is less sound in the kingdom, and to make matters worse, a stranger abducts Mateo and Cedric in the middle of a royal meeting. It's up to Elena and Sofia to figure out what's happened to their friends and how to stop the wicked force before the entire kingdom (and possibly even the Ever Realm) descends into utter silence for good. (Original concept requested by allyrwhitney; follow-up to "Magdalena the Mage")

Disclaimer: I only own the OC in here, whose name/title will be revealed in later chapters.

A/N: Okay! As most of you probably know by now, mystery is my _favorite_ genre to read/write/watch. I love the whole aspect of, "What in the world is even going on?" And then of course, by the end, everyone's like, "…OH!" Haha. Mystery, suspense, and thriller all top my favorite genres, so I really enjoy writing more for each. I hope you enjoy this story, which will be multi-chapter. Also, thanks to allyrwhitney for requesting another EOA/STF crossover. I didn't know when I'd want to write another one, but when she mentioned wanting to see Cedric and Mateo abducted, I knew this was the perfect time. :D Sorry, boys. It had to happen at some point. Lol. Enjoy!

PS: Just FYI, in case any of you are newer to my stories, all of my STF/EOA stories are pretty much continuous, so Elena and Mateo have both met Cedric and the others at this point, and they know quite a lot about each other. Just wanted to throw that out there! 😊

*Story*

Chapter 1: Enchancian Mystics

"Thanks for traveling with me, Mateo," Elena said happily once again as they were relaxing in the back of a flying coach that had been prepared for them. "It's not really a big deal going to Enchancia by myself, but I do enjoy the company."

The royal wizard grinned at his friend and shrugged before placing his hands behind his head and leaning back. "No problem, Elena," he responded easily. "In fact, this is great for me. Estéban had just gotten onto me about cleaning out my workshop, so I'm kind of glad I don't have to do it until later." He snickered. "He's such a stickler for cleanliness."

"Oh, I know. Isabel said he did the same with some of her older inventions." She rolled her eyes. "I love my cousin, but really?" She giggled as she sorted through some documents in her lap. "Now, I told you what this meeting is about, right?"

"Eh, something about networking with all the trade partners…" He made a face. "To be honest, Elena, I sort of zone out when you guys are talking about stuff like that. It's not exactly my field of expertise."

She smirked at his mentioning before smacking him on the shoulder with the documents, causing him to laugh. "And that's why you're my royal wizard and not my communications expert."

"Fair enough," he relented before yawning. "And aside from that, what else are we going to do?"

"Well…" She smiled mischievously. "I can only assume we'll meet up with Sofia again. And where Sofia is, usually Cedric is right there with her. So, it's likely we'll all get to meet up and spend time together again."

"Oh, good! I needed to ask Mr. Cedric about this new _tamborita_ that I heard of and if it's even worth getting."

The princess snickered. "It's so adorable when you act all excited about magic."

Mateo blushed modestly before smiling proudly. "I'm adorable anyway!" He gasped and sat up straight as the flying coach jolted, causing the vehicle some distress. He leaned slightly out the window and called out to the driver, "Everything okay up there?"

"Yes, sorry!" the man called back. "Just a strange shift in the wind. We should be in Enchancia in half an hour. Could you please tell the princess?"

"Sure!" Mateo returned to his seat and glanced toward his friend. "Thirty minutes to go."

She smiled gratefully. "Good. We kind of got a late start, so it'll be nice to get there soon."

* * *

Outside the castle, Sofia paced back and forth nervously, her hands wringing together. "Ooh, they should have been here by now," she muttered in concern.

Cedric, who was sitting on the steps with his arms folded over his knees, just shook his head. "Sofia, relax," he implored, offering her a calming smile as she paused her pacing and gazed in his direction. "People are late all the time. It's not so uncommon. Perhaps there was simply a slight delay."

She frowned. "Or maybe Shuriki came back and captured them. Or—Or maybe Grimtrix escaped and cast a spell on them." She gasped. "Oh, no, Mr. Cedric!"

" _Sofia_." He frowned as he reached out and took her hand as she started to pace again. "Sit down. Breathe. Princess Elena and Mateo are fine." He pulled her down next to him on the steps.

"They're an hour late, Mr. Cedric… That's not like them." She sighed heavily and mimicked his previous position: her arms folded over her knees. "They were supposed to be here at nine o'clock."

"Listen, _Baileywick_ ," he began jokingly, earning a very slight smile from his apprentice, "like I said… You don't know _what_ caused their delay. But it won't do you any good to go jumping to conclusions."

The princess finally nodded in agreement and cast her eyes to the sky again, seeking out her friends. "I guess you're right."

"Of course! I wouldn't worry so much if I were you. There's nothing you can do if something like this happens."

Not five minutes later, the friends witnessed the flying coach finally touch down and roll to a halt at the base of the stairs.

Sofia grinned and jumped up, rushing down the stairs with her friend right behind her. She saw the door open, and she jumped toward the first person who got out. "I'm so glad you're here!" she said, wrapping her arms around the visitor.

Mateo laughed at the warm welcome and hugged the little princess back, ruffling her hair playfully. "Nice to see you too, Sofia." He turned toward Cedric and shook his hand. "Mr. Cedric! Good to see you!"

"You're looking well, Mateo," the sorcerer returned with a nod.

Sofia beamed as Elena exited, and she hardly gave the older princess time to react before she jumped into her arms, practically crushing her in a friendly hug. "Elena!"

Elena giggled and returned her charge's hug. "Oh, Sofia! What a great welcome!" She playfully spun the girl around, eliciting a happy laugh from the auburn-haired princess. "Sorry we're so late," she told them as she released Sofia. "We had a few coach troubles before leaving Avalor. And then there was a bit of bad weather we had to navigate around."

Cedric nudged his apprentice, who smiled. "Told you." He smiled as Elena gave him a hug as well. "We're glad you both made it safely, Princess Elena." He glanced toward Sofia when the older girl released him. "Sofia was worried sick."

"Well…" The youngest member shrugged. "Can you blame me? We kind of have a track record for things going wrong, so it's not exactly surprising that I'd be worried, right?"

Mateo nodded. "I can understand that."

As they headed back to the castle together, they all couldn't help overhearing a conversation the guards were having.

"Did you hear?" one of the guards asked his partner. "According to reports, some of the outlying areas of Enchancia have fallen silent."

The other guard frowned. "What do you mean, 'silent?'" he attempted to clarify. "As in…no one is talking?"

"As in there's no sound _at all_ : talking, wind, wildlife, breathing…nothing." He frowned. "It's kind of weird. Apparently, King Roland has been informed, and there's going to be an emergency meeting on it soon."

"You know," Cedric began as they moved away from the guards, "as useless as they are with actually _guarding_ the castle most of the time, they sure are caught up on their gossip."

"Did he say there are areas that have no sound at all though?" Elena asked in surprise.

"I've heard about that happening before," Mateo told them as they entered the castle. "A long, long time ago in Maru, that same thing happened to the kingdom before another powerful wizard expelled the silence. The Maruvians weren't really sure who or what caused it, but they did call the event the 'Deafening Silence.'"

"Rather appropriate oxymoron," Cedric murmured. "I know well enough: sometimes the silence can be louder than any noise."

Sofia frowned curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You ever been in a really quiet room, and then you start thinking you're hearing things? Or maybe you hear a ringing in your ears that steadily gets louder and louder? Or perhaps you can hear your own heartbeat pounding in your mind?" The sorcerer shuddered a bit at the thought. "It can be rather annoying and, honestly, frightening."

The young princess shivered at the examples. "I don't think I could handle that… When you put it that way, I actually like a little bit of noise in the background."

"Well, maybe it's just a fluke that will all be sorted out soon," Elena enthused cheerfully until she saw a rush of guards entering the throne room, exclaiming to the king that the silence was spreading to more outlying areas. The dark-haired girl's enthusiasm faded as she looked toward her friends. "Or…maybe not."

To be continued…

Chapter List:

1: Enchancian Mystics

2: Seized in Plain Sight

3: Hush

4: A Stranger's Name

5: Deafening

6: Resound Through Nothingness


	2. Seized in Plain Sight

Deafening Silence

Summary: Elena and Mateo travel to Enchancia to visit for a few days, but something very strange is going on. Little by little, there is less sound in the kingdom, and to make matters worse, a stranger abducts Mateo and Cedric in the middle of a royal meeting. It's up to Elena and Sofia to figure out what's happened to their friends and how to stop the wicked force before the entire kingdom (and possibly even the Ever Realm) descends into utter silence for good. (Original concept requested by allyrwhitney; follow-up to "Magdalena the Mage")

Disclaimer: I only own the OC in here, whose name/title will be revealed in later chapters.

A/N: And here comes the abduction… ;D Also, I apologize that this chapter is a bit shorter. It's really more of a plot-driving chapter than anything. Lol. The ones following should be longer. And if I happen to disappear for a few days like last time, just know I'm still around; work is just all-consuming sometimes, but I _am_ working on my stories. :D Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 2: Seized in Plain Sight

Anxious to determine what exactly seemed to be going on with the silence, the four friends piled into the throne room, which was now packed not only with guards but with several other leaders who had come for their previously-scheduled meeting. Rather than being too concerned with trade, they were far more immersed in the current topic.

"What is the status of this silence, King Roland?" one man inquired, his dark gray eyes narrowed in curiosity.

"I would like to know that as well," an older woman echoed with a haughty huff. "We came to negotiate trade, not be silenced by some invisible cloak of doom."

"Everyone," Roland announced over the noise, his voice cutting through the chatter and effectively quietening the group. "I know you're concerned. I am as well. I've spoken with some experts, and they believe—like the deep sleeps—this phenomenon spreads quickly and can affect those in its path. However," he added, seeing that the chatter had started up again, "we aim to do everything we can to protect everyone. You have my word that as long as you remain in Enchancia, you'll be safe."

Mateo, who was simply standing and listening to the king, suddenly gasped in surprise as a strange scent overtook him before feeling his eyes drifting closed and his body beginning to collapse. Beside him, Cedric had much the same reaction, both being practically absorbed into thin air, no one else ever noticing.

"Wow, this is bad," Sofia whispered to Elena, who nodded solemnly. "If the silence comes here… Elena, I don't know if I can even imagine a silent world."

"Try the first few months in your amulet sometime," she remarked with a deep frown. "Until someone actually utilized the amulet, it was just placed aside somewhere 'safe.' Meanwhile, I was going stir crazy not having anything to do or witness; honestly, I wasn't necessarily picky for content either. _Anything_ would be better than just sitting in silence."

"Yeah, I can imagine…" She blinked when she turned and looked around them, realizing something wasn't quite right. "Hey, where did Mr. Cedric and Mateo go?"

Elena blinked as she also began looking around, a frown set on her features. "I have a bad feeling about this, Sofia…"

"Maybe they just stepped out for a minute?" the younger princess suggested as she glanced up at her friend.

"While all _this_ is going on?" The Avaloran princess shook her head. "No, there's no way. They'd need to know as much about this mess as we would." She grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her along. "Come on. Just in case, let's go check around the castle."

"Mr. Cedric," Sofia whispered softly as Elena tugged her along. "Mateo… Please be okay."

They searched the castle top to bottom, from the highest point of Cedric's tower to the deepest part of the dungeon and everywhere in between. No closet or storage room was left unchecked. Even the outside proved devoid of both magical wielders. It was like…

"It's like they vanished into thin air," Sofia remarked before slinking to the steps leading to the castle. She sighed as Elena sat down beside her. "I'm _such_ a bad Prot—friend," she corrected, not wanting Elena to have yet another issue to deal with concerning her secretive Ever Realm duties.

"You are not," Elena chided as she wrapped her arm around her charge and hugged her. "Whatever has happened is not your fault. We'll find them."

"Is it safe to say that they've been sorcerer- and wizard-napped then?" the younger princess inquired almost dryly, sighing.

"If they have, there's only one person I can think of who can help us." She stood up and pulled her friend to her feet before grinning. "You know the way to Merlin's castle, right?"

Sofia beamed.

Meanwhile, in the outlying lands, several tweeting birds suddenly fell silent and looked toward each other in surprise, unable to cope with their lack of song. Even the roar of the mighty waterfalls was hushed. The silence was growing more powerful and creeping closer to Enchancia by the minute, and as it stood, there appeared to be nothing or no one that could stop its ominous journey.

To be continued…


	3. Hush

Deafening Silence

Summary: Elena and Mateo travel to Enchancia to visit for a few days, but something very strange is going on. Little by little, there is less sound in the kingdom, and to make matters worse, a stranger abducts Mateo and Cedric in the middle of a royal meeting. It's up to Elena and Sofia to figure out what's happened to their friends and how to stop the wicked force before the entire kingdom (and possibly even the Ever Realm) descends into utter silence for good. (Original concept requested by allyrwhitney; follow-up to "Magdalena the Mage")

Disclaimer: I only own the OC in here, whose name/title will be revealed in later chapters.

A/N: All right! Anyone who asked me to bring back Merlin, here's your wish granted. Haha. He'll be playing a bigger role from here to the end. Meanwhile, it's also important to see what's going on with the kingdom itself, so you'll get perspective from both sides. Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 3: Hush

It didn't take long for the silence to catch up to the village of Dunwiddie. Much like had occurred previously, all sound was absorbed from the area, leaving its inhabitants confused and frightened. They couldn't hear anything: nature, voices, their own breathing… Even trying to process thoughts seemed impossible in this stress-inducing situation. For the time being, it was as if the world had been hushed, like a child scolded into quiet time, and it was both frightening and mystifying to the kingdom.

Roland was alerted to the circumstances, and he declared a state of emergency. But then, how could that be? It was just silence, right?

"Something wicked is doing this to our world," an older gentleman lamented as he addressed the king. "While, perhaps, it appears nonviolent, there is still something quite threatening about silencing your enemies—literally."

"What are we to do, King Roland?" another man asked. "How are we ever to overcome this new evil?"

Many of the others in the throne room murmured their agreements, obvious distress etched into their voices and movements.

Roland considered the situation and spoke, "Everyone, I think we should all—" It was then that the king of Enchancia realized he could no longer hear himself speaking…and, according to the looks on the onlookers' faces, neither could they.

Yet again, silence, utter silence, captured another section of the Ever Realm. Quiet panic was evident as people in the castle attempted to speak, to gasp, to _scream_ … But it was all in vain. Silent chaotic movements—people struggling to make sense of the situation, including gesturing wildly to each other—ensued. They were now to be plagued with the same void of sound that others were, and as far as they could tell, there was little _they_ could do about it…

* * *

"I hope he's home," Sofia confided in her friend as they approached the door to Merlin's castle Dragon Hold. "I hate that we kind of just abandoned everyone in Enchancia…"

"Don't look at it that way, Sofia," Elena suggested as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're here to get help from Merlin, so we can help both your kingdom _and_ Cedric and Mateo. As usual, those boys are lost without us." She grinned as her charge giggled. She reached out and knocked on the door, waiting for a response.

The girls were greeted by a ragged-looking Merlin, as if he'd been fighting with his magical items (and losing against them too, from what they could tell). "Oh, Princess Sofia! Princess Elena!" He gestured them inside and used his wand to shut the door behind them. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Mr. Cedric and Mateo have been sorcerer/wizard-napped," Sofia blurted, unable to control the words that came tumbling forth. "We don't know where they've been taken, so we came to you. Can you help us find them and save them?"

"Abducted?" He frowned, his eyes narrowing in curiosity at the young princess. "Did you happen to see _who_ took them?"

"No," Elena sighed as she shook her head. "We were a little more preoccupied with what's causing the silence around Enchancia. It's the weirdest thing. It's almost like it came out of nowhere."

"It's the Deafening Silence all over again," Merlin informed them solemnly. "Until it is stopped, any who are trapped within the perimeter of the intrusive quiet will remain there until someone frees them from its hold."

"How do we do that?" Sofia asked immediately, her hands clenching together in determination. "Our friends are in danger, aren't they?"

The old man shrugged and made a contemplative noise as he beckoned the girls over to a work table. "It's not quite as simple as that, Princess Sofia. I've known of this occurrence before. I'm afraid there's a lot more to the story than either of you may realize."

"Story?" Elena asked. "What story?"

The wizard waved his wand once, causing a brown leather-bound book to fly from a bookcase and land before the trio, its covers parting and its pages magically sorting themselves. The text seemed to shimmer against the sun's rays filtering in through the window, giving the images and words a rather strange and almost ethereal glow. "Legend has it that the Deafening Silence began for one reason and one alone: The Silent Sage."

The girls exchanged glances, neither one seeming to fully process this new information. As they looked back toward the wizard, they noticed the grim expression on his face.

"You may want to sit down, Your Highnesses. It's quite a long story, and we're running out of time."

To be continued…


	4. A Stranger's name

Deafening Silence

Summary: Elena and Mateo travel to Enchancia to visit for a few days, but something very strange is going on. Little by little, there is less sound in the kingdom, and to make matters worse, a stranger abducts Mateo and Cedric in the middle of a royal meeting. It's up to Elena and Sofia to figure out what's happened to their friends and how to stop the wicked force before the entire kingdom (and possibly even the Ever Realm) descends into utter silence for good. (Original concept requested by allyrwhitney; follow-up to "Magdalena the Mage")

Disclaimer: I only own the OC in here, whose name/title will be revealed in later chapters.

A/N: Hey, everyone! Sorry it's been a bit since I've uploaded anything. I meant to actually have this story FINISHED by today, but since the reviews and uploading tools were going haywire the last couple of days, I put off writing until I knew for sure how things were going to go. I'm going to get as much written and released today as I can (depending on my schedule for today). Anyway, hope you enjoy! We're halfway done! Also, if you do happen to figure out the secret/clue/mystery in here, shhh. ;p Pun intended. Let me know in the reviews of chapter 6 if you, like the girls and Merlin, managed to figure it out. :D Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 4: A Stranger's Name

Merlin waved his wand and crafted a floating hologram of a dark swirling mass of clouds. In the center was a figure shrouded in a deep gray cloak. "Long ago, there was a wicked woman whose name was an enigma." He glanced at the princesses, who seemed intrigued and confused at the same time. "A name is a powerful thing, Princesses. Once you know it, you have something of a key to their lives. You're aware of how to address them, sure, but sometimes the name alone is that person's salvation…or undoing."

The hologram figure removed the cloak, revealing the same woman who'd remained in Cedric's workshop during the time of the false Magdalena's visit. Her grayscale features surprised the girls. Gray skin, gray hair tied into an intricate bun, and a matching sparkling gray dress spanned along the ground. The only things on her that were _not_ gray were her soul-piercing pale pink eyes and her ruby red lips, which were twisted into a sneer.

Sofia unconsciously reached for Elena's arm and held onto it uncertainly, sighing in relief when the older princess gently patted her hand for comfort. "So…no one knows her name, Mr. Merlin?"

"No. She was given a title, however, to identify her: Silent Sage."

"Appropriate," Elena murmured as she watched the hologram woman press a finger to her lips and fade into the background. "So she's the one causing all the trouble?"

"Without a doubt," Merlin answered with a nod. "Her methods are seen as _non-intrusive_ , which is unusual for most villains… However, she directly affects a collective mass of people all at once rather than going after any individual. She also has a tendency of disguising herself as others to appear less threatening, I suppose."

Sofia frowned at those words and glanced down toward her amulet, grabbing it with her free hand as something nagged at the back of her mind.

"Disguising herself as another person?" Elena scoffed. "Original."

"But effective," Sofia admitted as she looked at the older two. She blinked as they turned toward her. "She… I think she's the one who pretended to be Magdalena the Mage a few days ago, when Mr. Cedric, Calista, and I were in his tower. She seemed like a nice lady, but at one point she requested…" She tightened her grip on her amulet as Elena squeezed her hand encouragingly. "She wanted to use my amulet to… To 'return her soul' where it belonged or something."

Elena's eyes widened. "And you let her?"

Sofia frowned at her friend's surprised tone. "What was I supposed to say, Elena? 'Sorry, I guess you're stuck in the Ever Realm?'" She sighed. "I did what I thought was right…"

"The _one_ time I needed to be in the amulet to curse someone, and it happened to be then." The brunette shook her head.

"But the curse wouldn't have worked," Sofia reminded her. "I _gave_ her my amulet… There's nothing in the rules about that. Besides, it's a good thing you weren't in there." She glanced down at the jewel, which seemed normal enough. "Who knows what she did to it?"

"If you feel you're in danger, perhaps you should remove it for now," Merlin suggested.

"I haven't felt any different, and without it I can't understand animals or use it to help others." She smiled gently at them, realizing they appeared concerned. "Look, if I get the feeling that something is wrong, I'll take it off. But… It means a lot to me. Not only was it the first thing my dad gave me when I came to the castle, but it's also how I met Elena, and it's what's made me… _me_. As weird as that sounds…"

"Your safety is more important than the Amulet of Avalor, Sofia," Elena informed her seriously. "The _moment_ you feel different, you take it off. Got it?"

Sofia blinked at her friend's strict tone and nodded. "Okay…"

Merlin sighed before gesturing back toward the hologram. "Anyway, I feel it's necessary you know the rest of this story…" He nodded as the girls looked back toward him. "Now, as far as the Silent Sage, this is her method of operation." The image changed to the woman in question standing before the entrance to a desolate kingdom during a storm. She lifted one finger to her lips and made a shushing noise, seemingly casting the entire area into silence. "That's what she does. She presses a finger to her lips, shushes, and casts that area and any other surrounding areas into silence; she never says a word—not in her own voice, anyway. They'll remain that way unless someone intervenes and stops her."

"And how do we stop her?" the Avaloran princess asked determinedly.

"By knowing her name." The wizard frowned as the girls appeared baffled. "And…no one knows her name. However, there have been clues left, though no one has been able to piece them together."

Sofia pondered his words and stood, walking around and seeming to look for something. "Mr. Merlin, do you have anything I can use to write down something?" She smiled as he handed her some parchment and a quill before sitting down beside Elena again and beginning to write.

"What are you doing?" Elena wondered.

"The Silent Sage left a message for me and Mr. Cedric when we thought she was Magdalena. We'd left the workshop for a few minutes when she wanted to… 'release her soul.' I didn't want to see it, so…" She frowned as the quill scratched against the parchment. "But that message will always stay in my mind. And I think there's a message _in_ it, now that Mr. Merlin said that."

By the time she finished, the three friends observed what was before them: the dark poem from that day…

 _Magdalena I am not, and never shall I be.  
You fools do trust an awful lot; that's humorous to me.  
Silence is your only friend; so quiet I suggest you stay.  
Divulge this message and you shall end; I'm only a whisper away._

 _~É_

" _That's_ the name she chooses?" Elena pointed toward the signature. "It's just a letter with an accent mark."

"It's a clue," Merlin determined. "The first letter of her name…"

Elena shrugged. "Well, in Spanish, as far as I recall, we don't have any girl names that _begin_ with an accented E. It has to be another origin."

"I know you can't possibly believe her name will be that easy to figure out," Merlin chided lightly yet with a humored undertone. "No, her 'name' may not even be a real name…just something pieced together to create one."

"So how do we figure it out?" Sofia asked.

"We investigate. All we have on the Silent Sage is what was written in some mysterious manuscripts which just randomly appeared at the site of one of her Deafening Silence escapades one day." He used his wand to withdraw said manuscripts from one of his bookcases and lowered it next to Sofia's scribing.

"There's nothing random about that, Merlin," Elena corrected. "If I know anything about villains, they _live_ for this stuff. They _want_ us to figure it out so that they can feel accomplished if we fail. It's like a calling card, if you want to call it that."

"Hmm, perhaps…" He unrolled the scripts and used some paperweights to hold them down. "See what you girls make of this then."

 _The Silent Sage_

 _Amusing title… Truly. Since so many are curious to know who I am, I suppose it is only fair I give you a fighting chance. After all, I won't have it said that I am a poor sport._

 _My name has been a subject of discussion among you magic wielders for years now. You're among the few who actually realize a name holds true power. My demise lies in my name. Since I have never uttered it or heard it myself (yes, I realize the irony), then it alone will destroy me. It's all a game anyway, isn't it?_

 _My name begins with_ _ **É**_ _and ends with_ _ **a**_ _. Original!_

 _Many have called me cruel and_ _ **insensitive**_ _, but they have no idea how correct they are. I was practically made to be such a thing. Human beings are so clueless and have no idea how to handle reality or even having the very fabric of it ripped away from them. Sad, really…_

 _Don't look for my name to be on record anywhere. No one has ever used it prior to my existence._

 _I'm_ _ **prime**_ _—so prime that I'm_ _ **doubled**_ _._

 _My origins? Perhaps from the_ _ **Ghana Ruin**._

 _Ah, but I think you have more than enough to go on. I wish you luck… You'll need it._

 _I enjoy my sweet silence, and maybe eventually you'll come to feel the same way. Utter silence…or utter nothing. I'm content either way._

 _~É_

"This seems like a lot of nonsense to me," Elena admitted as she scoured the documents. "She just seems to be rambling."

"No," Sofia countered as she pointed out sections of the manuscripts. "There's nothing nonsensical about this, Elena. She _wants_ us to try to figure out her name, remember? You said it yourself. Like she said, it's all a game to her. She's given us what we need to go on, and it's been before us the whole time." She set the previously scribed parchment aside and pulled out a clean one. "The clues are all there. We just need to put them together."

Merlin grinned. "This is the most excitement I've gotten since battling Morgana." He pushed his sleeves up and summoned a stool before sitting next to Sofia. "Let's have at it then, Princess Sofia. Show us what we need to know."

Sofia began writing out the clues. "We know what her name starts with and ends with. So, let's do this." She wrote 'É' at the start of the parchment and drew a long line before reaching the end where she wrote 'a.' "What's the next clue?"

Elena peered over the documents. "I get the feeling that the whole 'cruel and insensitive' thing may be a clue."

Merlin nodded. "I'm willing to wager that her name _means_ those things. Remember, she said it herself: her name isn't even a name originally created for that purpose. It's merely pieced together." He stroked his beard. "So what if her name is just the word with 'a' tacked to the end?"

"I'm almost sure it is," Sofia agreed. "Her name isn't English; that's for sure. She said something about origins, didn't she?"

"Yeah, Ghana Ruin," Elena responded. "But in all my studies, I've never heard of a Ghana Ruin. And how would that be an origin?"

Merlin frowned. "What if it's not?" He gestured toward the letters in the words. "What if it's a code for something else—like an anagram?"

Sofia gasped. "Of course!" She counted the letters and started sketching them out on the paper. "Most 'origins' end in 'an' or 'ish,' right? Well, we don't have 'ish' this time." By the time she finished, she grinned in triumph. "Hungarian! Her name is Hungarian!"

"Well, that explains the letters, I guess," Elena concluded with a nod. "So what about that whole prime clue?"

"I understand that one," the man proclaimed. 'I'm prime—so prime that I'm doubled.' I can only think of one prime number that has the same number twice. Eleven. It is my guess that her name has eleven letters in it. We've got two. Now to find the other nine."

"Do you have any Hungarian translation books, Mr. Merlin?" Sofia asked as she hopped down from her chair.

"I believe so. Let's take a look."

It took another half an hour, but by the time they were finished, they'd located the only word in the Hungarian language that could possibly fit (and fit perfectly at that) for the Silent Sage's real name.

"Awesome," Elena gushed with a grin. "Now just one problem." She frowned as the other two looked at her. "How in the world do you even _say_ that?"

"Uh…" Sofia rubbed her forehead. "I'm not sure."

"I am," Merlin told them with a smirk. "I studied a bit of Hungarian when I was a lad. However, we must keep the name quiet until we find Cedric and Mateo. And we'd best be on our way. The longer we wait, the more in danger they are."

The girls nodded and stood, ready to find their friends and settle the score with the Silent Sage once and for all.

To be continued…


	5. Deafening

Deafening Silence

Summary: Elena and Mateo travel to Enchancia to visit for a few days, but something very strange is going on. Little by little, there is less sound in the kingdom, and to make matters worse, a stranger abducts Mateo and Cedric in the middle of a royal meeting. It's up to Elena and Sofia to figure out what's happened to their friends and how to stop the wicked force before the entire kingdom (and possibly even the Ever Realm) descends into utter silence for good. (Original concept requested by allyrwhitney; follow-up to "Magdalena the Mage")

Disclaimer: I only own the OC in here, whose name/title will be revealed in later chapters.

A/N: Moving on along, to see how far I can get today! Oh! Important info about what you're about to read. This chapter was inspired by the anechoic chamber, which is said to be the quietest room in the world. Sound is absorbed instead of reflected. People have attempted to stay in the room, but no one has reportedly lasted longer than 45 minutes. They claimed to hear their blood rushing through their heads, and the silence drove many of them mad. I thought it was fascinating, so I wanted to incorporate it here. Oh, and Cedric and Mateo FINALLY reappear in this chapter! Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 5: Deafening

There was a distinct ringing echoing in Mateo's mind when he awoke. It was an annoying, constant, one-note ringing that did not seem to want to go away. He usually only heard that sound when it was extremely quiet in a room, or if he had some random spell—no pun intended. Some of his relatives used to tell him when he was a child that ringing in the ears was a message from the spirit realm, but since he now had access to it, he had to admit that their explanation was a bit off (especially since he now had Zuzo to back him up on this matter).

When he opened his eyes, he shut them again almost immediately. From what he was able to see, there was nothing but pure white surrounding him. It was so bright that it seriously hurt his eyes, causing them to water. He reached around and was relieved to find his _tamborita_ safe and sound. Tapping it once against his hand, he spoke, " _K'in Pakal_!" He grinned as a pair of sun shades appeared on his face, blocking the intrusive bright white from his retinas. "Ahh, that's better." Decidedly more comfortable, he glanced down and noticed that Cedric was starting to stir. "Mr. Cedric? You okay?"

Cedric made a whining noise as he went through the motions of attempting to open his eyes, only to be met with the blinding surroundings. "I'd be better if whoever is ringing that blasted tone would stop and the sun would set already."

"It's not the sun. It's just a bright room. Sit still." He tapped his _tamborita_ and repeated the command, nodding when the sun shades appeared on Cedric as well. "How's that?"

The older sorcerer nodded. "Much better." He winced and rubbed at his ears. "Oh, Merlin… I just realized what the issue is." He sighed as he glanced toward the young wizard. "We seem to be in a soundproof chamber of some sort." He growled. "Curses. Typical of the situation we're in right now, isn't it?"

"Well, what if we just keep talking to each other and keep up the momentum? That way, we can keep ourselves from having to listen to—eh, nothingness. It's kind of odd, isn't it?" He laughed. "We can hear the effects of absolute silence! Weird!"

Cedric smirked and rolled his eyes. "You're too easily amused, Mateo. But I like your idea. So let's just continue speaking so that we won't descend into madness, shall we?"

Therefore, they spoke of everything from magic to the absurd rules of grammar, and from the decidedly fantastic yet impossible nature of science to the funny sounds ducks made when they became giddy.

"And just when have you encountered a giddy duck?" Cedric asked, laughing at the bizarre addition to the conversation.

"Oh, last year! Elena's little sister Isabel found one with a broken leg, and she nursed him back to health. When he realized he could walk again, he actually got giddy and attacked her with ducky kisses." He made a face at the description. "Come to think of it, that sounds stranger than the actual incident, but it's true!"

"Ah, Avalor—the place of waterfowl wonders…" The sorcerer grinned as the younger boy laughed.

Meanwhile, someone had been watching their every move. The Silent Sage exhaled slowly before shaking her head in disappointment. Oh, this wouldn't do at all… She disappeared from her position in the darkness where she'd been hiding and appeared before the two magic wielders, her pink eyes glaring into theirs.

Cedric and Mateo gasped, startled at the sudden appearance.

Mateo blinked several times. "Wh-Who are you?"

Cedric frowned, not liking the eerie look the woman was giving them. "Mateo, get your _tamborita_ ready." He withdrew his own wand, never taking his eyes off the Silent Sage.

The woman in question smirked, as if to say, 'How cute.' Only one gesture, and she'd do away with these meddling two for good.

"M-Mr. Cedric… What is she doing?"

The Silent Sage lifted one hand, her forefinger extended, and slowly began to lower it to her lips so that she could forever plunge this realm into silence.

To be continued…


	6. Resound Through Nothingness

Deafening Silence

Summary: Elena and Mateo travel to Enchancia to visit for a few days, but something very strange is going on. Little by little, there is less sound in the kingdom, and to make matters worse, a stranger abducts Mateo and Cedric in the middle of a royal meeting. It's up to Elena and Sofia to figure out what's happened to their friends and how to stop the wicked force before the entire kingdom (and possibly even the Ever Realm) descends into utter silence for good. (Original concept requested by allyrwhitney; follow-up to "Magdalena the Mage")

Disclaimer: I only own the OC in here, whose name/title will be revealed in this chapter.

A/N: The end has come! …Literally. Haha. Enjoy the finale!

*Story*

Chapter 6: Resound Through Nothingness

"I think I've got a reading on their location," Merlin informed the princesses as he raised his wand. "Best take hold of my robe and hold on tight."

They did so, but Sofia couldn't help asking, "How do you know where they're located, Mr. Merlin?"

He chuckled. "I _am_ quite a well-versed wizard, my dear. And a good wizard never reveals his secrets."

"I thought that was a magician," Elena jested before grabbing the younger princess's hand to secure their hold.

"It's all about the same thing in the end, isn't it?" He frowned as he realized the wind outside had suddenly grown silent. "It's coming." He aimed the wand toward himself and the girls. " _Transporto_!"

The trio vanished just as the silence swept across Dragon Hold, plunging all sounds into nothingness.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the bright room, Cedric pushed Mateo behind him, his wand extended before him toward the Silent Sage, who loomed intimidatingly over them. "Mateo, stay behind me."

"N-No problem, heh," Mateo responded nervously as his hand with the _tamborita_ shook. He didn't recall being this unnerved before—not by Shuriki, not by Fiero, not by Orizaba, not by any other villain they'd faced before… This woman, and the fact that she didn't speak, terrified him more than any speech-wielding villain ever could. It's what she _didn't_ say that bothered him.

The Silent Sage pressed her finger fully to her lips and inhaled, preparing to shush them into eternal silence.

"Hold it!"

The two friends and sage looked up, surprised by the sound cutting through their inhabited space.

"Sofia!" Cedric breathed in relief. "Princess Elena! …Merlin?" He blinked. "What on earth are _you_ doing here? _How_ did you get here?"

"No time to explain, I'm afraid," Merlin replied as Sofia dived into her mentor's arms and Elena rushed to inspect her friend, making sure he was okay. He smirked as he faced the gray-toned woman. "Ah, so I must be in the presence of the Silent Sage."

Said woman simply lowered her hand, changing her mind about silencing Cedric and Mateo. Catching a glimpse of the auburn-haired princess, a wicked smile grew on her face as she made a very profound connection. She extended her opposite hand and made a clutching motion, causing the girl's amulet to glow a bright pale pink, matching the woman's eyes.

Sofia screamed in pain as the negative powers attacked her amulet and began physically draining her energy, causing her to collapse into Cedric's arms. It wasn't difficult to see that the young princess was in danger, and quite possibly even more so than they realized.

"Sofia!" Cedric called in alarm, feeling for her pulse and releasing a shuddering breath when he heard her breathing growing weaker. "She's… She's dying…"

"Merlin, the name!" Elena called out desperately as she and Mateo gathered around Cedric, trying to see to Sofia as best as they could. "Hurry!"

Merlin faced the wicked woman and lifted his wand, yelling out, "Wicked creature, not well-renowned! From stillness and nothingness, noise shall resound!"

The Silent Sage growled voicelessly as she turned her piercing eyes to him and loosened her magical grip on Sofia's amulet.

"Return to your realm, _Tacet Advena(_ _ **1** )_; silence no more…" He smiled darkly as the woman's eyes widened, realizing he _knew_ … He knew her name. "Érzéketlena( **2** )!"

The Silent Sage, or rather Érzéketlena, pressed her hands to her ears. The very sound of her own name caused her to disintegrate before the others' eyes. Within seconds, she was gone, and the scene faded to a forest right outside of Enchancia.

Looking around, Mateo grinned and yelled out triumphantly as he hugged Elena, surprising her, and spun her around. "We did it!"

Elena laughed as he placed her down to the ground again. "Yeah, we did!" She grinned toward Merlin. "Nice job with that name."

"It was much easier than some words I've heard before," he responded with a shrug. "Once, I heard of this very strange word: floccinaucinihilipilification. Ironically, it means the act of estimating that something is of little value or worthless…sort of like Miss Silent Sage, I suppose." He smirked.

"Sofia, wake up."

The other three turned and saw that Cedric was still attempting to wake up the youngest member of their traveling group. Her color was beginning to return, and her breathing was shallow but was getting better second by second.

The princess in question slowly opened her eyes and immediately reached to clutch her amulet, whimpering. "Did we win?"

Cedric smiled in relief, pulling the girl into a hug, much to her surprise. "Yes… Yes, it's over now."

She smiled and released the amulet, choosing to hug him tightly instead. "Mr. Cedric! You're all right!" She happily accepted hugs from the others before looking curiously toward her mentor and Mateo. "I just have one question for you guys…" She grinned. "Where did you get those silly-looking glasses?"

Cedric blushed and removed his, pocketing them for the time being. "Give us a break, Sofia… The room we were being held in was exceptionally bright."

"I kind of like mine," Mateo remarked with a sly smile, peering over the rims at Elena. "I look kind of stylish."

Elena giggled. "Something tells me Gabe will want a pair when we get back to Avalor. Oh, speaking of which…" She glanced toward the two Enchancian inhabitants. "We probably should check and see if everyone is okay… We still have that meeting to go to."

"I assure you that everything is as it always was," Merlin told the older princess. "The moment that woman was eradicated, it was as if nothing had ever happened. We only recall it because we were not affected by her silence. Luckily. In addition, Princess Sofia, your amulet is perfectly normal again."

"Mr. Merlin?" Sofia turned toward the older wizard. "I know that person who disguised herself wasn't Ms. Magdalena…but will we ever get to meet the _real_ Magdalena?"

He smiled and nodded. "I'll see to it, Princess Sofia. One of these days. I promise."

With all now back to normal, the group departed as Merlin returned to his own home. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. The wind was blowing, playing with the branches and the leaves. And it was beautiful to _hear_.

The end

* * *

Ending notes:

1: _Tacet Advena_ : Latin for "silent stranger" (pronounced "tah-chet ahd-vay-nah")

2: Érzéketlena: Hungarian modification of the word "Érzéketlen," meaning inhumane (pronounced "Ehr-zay-keht-leh-nah")


End file.
